An optical layered body, which includes functional layers having various functions such as antiglare properties, antireflection properties, and antistatic properties, is provided on the outermost surfaces of image display devices such as cathode-ray tube (CRT) display devices, liquid crystal displays (LCD), plasma display panels (PDP), electroluminescence displays (ELD), and field emission displays (FED).
In order to impart hard coat properties to such an optical layered body, known is, for example, a method of forming a hard coat layer containing inorganic fine particles on a light-transmitting substrate (Patent Document 1).
In the case of producing a single such hard coat layer, it is necessary to make the hard coat layer thick. However, in the case of making the layer thick, the optical layered body is more likely to curl (warp). Thus, in the case of producing a polarizer by pasting the optical layered body on a polarizing element, pasting by rolling is difficult. In addition, the amount of the inorganic fine particles included in a thick hard coat layer is large, which therefore causes a cost disadvantage.
In contrast, an optical layered body with two hard coat layers is known (Patent Document 2). However, if inorganic fine particles are added to an upper layer (surface side) for the purpose of imparting hard coat properties with only a small amount of the inorganic fine particles, for example, a refractive-index difference between the upper layer and a lower layer arises. For this reason, in the case where a polarizer is formed using the optical layered body, interference fringes problematically occur and cause poor appearance.    Patent Document 1: JP-A Hei-2-160543    Patent Document 2: JP-A Hei-5-8350